Beating the Elements
by fangirlMasquerade
Summary: A series of ficlets where Legolas and Aragorn are met with the many different elements of Middle-earth, having both good and bad encounters with them. Only Eru Ilúvatar himself knows what the elements have in store for the two friends.
1. Earth

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any characters associated with them; They belong to their rightful owner J.R.R. Tolkien. We just borrow them to play. *winks*  
My Elvish sucks. Tolkien forgive me. *sobs*

A/N: I'm back with another LotR fanfic! :D This time it'll just be a set of drabbles/short stories, surrounding Legolas and Aragorn encountering different elements. Each chapter will revolve around a specific element, and stand alone as a one-shot. Hopefully this turns out well enough. I'm starting with the element earth. Also, this was actually the second chapter I wrote, but I decided to make it the first chapter. ;)

 **If my Sindarin is wrong, do not be rude about it. Please either politely correct me, or kindly tell me what does not exist and I will replace it with English/edit the scene. Thanks**

• _Mellon nín:_ "My friend"

• _Le hannon:_ "Thank you"

• _Namárië:_ "Farewell" (Quenya)

* * *

 **Earth**

Climbing mountains was nothing new to Legolas and Aragorn, but the two hardly found it fun having to do so whenever a mountain presented itself that they must climb. And it was even more frustrating when, in fact, they had not needed to climb the mountain to begin with. How Legolas had allowed himself to be talked into this adventure to begin with was beyond him.

Ah, that's right, Legolas was thinking about Aragorn here. And Aragorn could talk an oliphaunt out of it's tusks. And he could certainly talk one elven prince into almost anything, if he leant his ear for just a moment to listen - like he had unfortunately done this time.

Looking up where they were currently clinging to, Legolas could see his friend just ahead. They were climbing a portion of the mountain that was grueling, as it was a sheer drop and thus, they were climbing straight up. "Estel, do you see any end to this portion of the mountain?" He questioned.

"Why are you asking me? You are the one with elf eyes." Aragorn shot back, gripping a particularly sharp rock. He changed his grip and pulled himself up, putting his booted foot in the same rock he'd been holding a moment earlier. Even with a boot protecting his foot, the rock was still sharp and pushing painfully into the sole of his foot.

"At the moment, all I see is a ranger's rear." Had he been just a tiny bit braver, he might have said something a bit less kind, but the very real fear that his father would somehow hear of the words the prince wished to use kept his tongue at bay. And with Aragorn, it wasn't impossible the man would use those words against him later while in the presence of his father.

Aragorn had thought the same thing, as a wide grin broke out across his face when he knew the elf had very dearly wanted to say something very unkind to the ranger. He laughed quietly, and when he looked down below him he could see the look Legolas was aiming his way. If only looks could kill...

"Alright, if you think you can find us a better path than the one we are currently on, come up and take my place ahead." Aragorn had no more said the words than the lithe Wood-elf had climbed his way up beside Aragorn, and then quickly found his footing and went ahead further, now taking the lead.

Aragorn blinked, then looked up to see the back side of his elven friend. "If I did not know any better, I would say you were a rock elf, if there were ever such a thing." He had to dodge as broken bits of rock came falling on his face. "You did that on purpose!" He cursed, unafraid of Legolas hearing his own curses. Unlike Aragorn, the elven prince would be too prideful to repeat such a word to lord Elrond.

Glancing down at him from above, Legolas smirked. "I would do no such thing, Estel. It was an accident."

"I would think as an elf, you would be able to lie just a little bit better, considering how many years you have to practice the art of lying. But you, my friend, are a terrible liar." Aragorn huffed, shaking his head to shake loose the debris that had fallen on his head from the elf above him.

Legolas' musical laughter that came after that made Aragorn smile despite his frustration. He really did love his friend, even if the elf could be annoying at times. But he figured it was all he deserved for the misadventures the two would wind up in because of Aragorn, like the one they were currently in.

"Remind me why we are climbing this mountain again, _mellon nín_." Legolas questioned to change the subject, climbing with ease while Aragorn struggled to keep up with the Wood-elf.

"Because," Aragorn panted, stopping to wipe sweat from his brow before he continued to climb behind his friend. "There is rumor of a treasure within this mountain somewhere, though that is as much information as I could gather. Apparently no one is certain of what exactly the treasure is, but I thought it would not hurt to check."

"Rumors are not the best leads to follow, Estel." Legolas sighed, but he was probably almost as curious as Aragorn as to what the treasure could be, if no one had managed to get it before them. And not many people could climb mountains like Legolas and Aragorn, especially if they feared heights or the creatures that might call this mountain home.

"In this case, they were the only leads. Besides, there are worse things we could be doing." Aragorn reasoned, moving up to where he was just under Legolas' left foot. Here there was at least a ledge where he could ease the bottoms of his feet on more even ground. He could also loosen his grip and give his hands a second to recover before he continued the climb up this side of the mountain.

The elf paused and looked down at Aragorn dubiously. He was about to ask what could be worse than what they were doing when his keen elven hearing caught the sound of something he had been silently praying he wouldn't hear. His head jerked up, and all too soon he seen the rocks that were sliding down right for him. "Aragorn!"

"What is it?" Aragorn called back, trying to see past Legolas. Then even his own human hearing picked up the sounds, and he knew there was no way he or Legolas would be able to escape the rock slide in time. The elf didn't even need to think. He dropped down until he was pressed against Aragorn, forcing them both flat against the mountainside to prevent from toppling down the side.

Aragorn gasped and did what he could to hold on while Legolas did the same. "What are you doing!?" Aragorn yelled, looking to see the serious expression of the Wood-elf now behind him.

"Get your head down!" Legolas ordered, his voice raising above the oncoming rocks. He knew both of them wouldn't be able to avoid the rocks, and his instinct to protect his friend overcame his flight instinct, so he did what he could to shield Aragorn from the rocks mere feet above their heads now.

Legolas could take more abuse to his body since he was an elf, where as Aragorn may be severely injured. And the elf would have an easier time getting down the mountain, even while injured, than the human ranger. There was no other choice in his mind. Aragorn didn't have time to argue with the elf, and both lowered their heads to try and save them from any form of damage.

Not two seconds later, the rocks were tumbling down over them.

Aragorn felt the rocks pummeling him, and he bit his lip to keep from groaning, because he knew if it hurt him, Legolas was receiving even more damage to his back and shoulders. The rocks slammed into the elf's arms and shoulders, some bounced over his head only to land on his back to cause him to lose his breath in a gasp.

The rocks that had tumbled down bounced off the elf and ranger, sharp edges slicing open cloth and skin with the same amount of ease. Neither elf or man loosened their grips on the rocks as their hands were struck with rocks of varying sizes. A particularly large rock slammed down on Legolas' left arm and he couldn't contain the cry of pain that ripped from his throat, and the sound made Aragorn's heart stop.

Almost as soon as the rock slide had happened, the last few rocks bounced off them and rolled down below them, and aside from the sound of descending rocks below them, there was just silence.

Legolas and Aragorn didn't move right away, but finally the healer in Aragorn could take no more and he lifted his head, looking over his shoulder at Legolas. "Legolas, how bad is it?" He wanted to move to get a better look, but in their current position that was not an option or he'd risk throwing Legolas off the mountain.

It took a lot of strength, but the elf managed to climb back up where he had been before the rock slide. "I will be fine, Estel." He said, though his voice did not sound as certain as he had hoped it would. Looking up, he seen what looked like a ledge. "I believe the rocks cleared a way to a ledge."

He didn't stay long enough for Aragorn to question him further, and the elf gingerly climbed up toward the new ledge. Aragorn was right behind him, keeping up possibly better than before, which in the back of his mind concerned him. But he would have to just wait until they were in a better spot to further see the damage that had been done.

Soon enough the two were sitting on a ledge, which revealed a path that led right toward an opening in the side of the mountain. Surely that was where this treasure was. But Aragorn's number one concern was his friend, whom had taken the brunt of the damage from the rock slide. His own injuries were minimal so he focused on Legolas. "Let me see." He left no room for argument as he turned to look at Legolas.

The elf had a cut above his right brow that was bleeding, but with a little herbal salve the bleeding stopped and it would heal just fine after a day or two. Aragorn turned to the more serious damage. When he had checked the damage on the elf's back, it was mostly bruising and cuts, which Aragorn covered with the herbal medicine to stop any further bleeding and hopefully ease the pain a little.

After Aragorn was sure everything was covered, he looked at Legolas expectantly, and the elf sighed and uncurled his left arm from his chest, which he had been guarding while Aragorn quickly tended to the lesser injuries. Aragorn tried to be gentle, but it seemed the arm was more damaged than even Legolas' back.

He frowned while he felt along it, and his heart cringed each time he heard Legolas take in a sharp breath. "I do not think it is broken, but it is probably fractured." The gash across the elf's forearm was deep, and Aragorn switched the herbal salve in favor of using some athelas he had with him. He then ripped a portion of his cloak off and then expertly and firmly wrapped it around Legolas' arm. "This will have to do until we can get down from this mountain."

"It will do just fine, _mellon nín_. _Le hannon_. I believe the cave you were looking for is there." He jabbed his chin in the direction of the path leading to the cave, and Aragorn frowned at him. "What?"

"We need to turn around and get you back to my father." The ranger said, the search for the treasure discarded as quickly as Legolas had been injured.

But the elf offered a slight smile and gripped Aragorn's shoulder with his good hand, shaking his head. "Estel, I did not come all the way up here just to turn around when our goal is within our reach. I will be fine, as you said, it is not broken. Now let us go see this mysterious treasure of yours." He stood up, and helped Aragorn up as well.

"Stubborn elf." Aragorn muttered under his breath. He knew there was no changing Legolas' mind once it had been made up, so Aragorn began following the path. This time he kept the lead, and led the two into the mouth of the little cave. The sun had not yet begun to dip into the horizon, so the cave was lit up well from the mouth of it.

They walked inside, careful of their footing, though Aragorn more so than the sure footed Wood-elf. There was a distinct glow in the cave, which was mesmerizing to both ranger and elf. Normally Legolas hated caves, but even he couldn't deny how beautiful the glow was. "It is brighter down there." He pointed with his good hand, and the two proceeded to follow the glow.

They walked down a narrow path, and the small open area they stepped into took their breath away.

All around were glowing, sparkling stones. The entire area was lit up, apparently absorbing the light from the sun outside and making it all glow beautifully, almost like starlight itself. Legolas stepped forward, placing his good hand on the wall and feeling a couple of the stones. "They are beautiful."

"Indeed." Aragorn agreed, walking the opposite side of Legolas and running his hand along the walls as well. "This must be the treasure that was rumored to be within this mountain." He realized it was not a normal treasure, like a weapon or a jewel, but the beautiful stones that lay within this little cave.

For once Legolas believed he was rather comfortable within a cave. He looked over to Aragorn smiling, but paused and tilted his head. "What are you doing, Estel?" Aragorn had knelt down in the far corner of the cave, and he seemed to be struggling with something. The sound of cracking could be clearly heard. Curious, the elf stepped over to him and peered over his shoulder.

But Aragorn was bent over whatever it was he was doing, and the elf -even with his keen elf eyes- could not see what he was doing. However after a moment it didn't matter, as Aragorn stood up and turned to look at the elf, with a bright smile on his face. "We came here for a treasure, so here is your half, _mellon nín_."

It was a humorous sight to see the elf look so confused, but Aragorn didn't tease him about that. For now, at any rate. He took the elf's hand and placed something within it before he pulled his own back. Legolas looked down in his palm, and the pleased surprise was something Aragorn would cherish.

And the treasure was something Legolas would cherish with this memory. In his palm was a shard of the sparkling stone with a string firmly wrapped around it so that he could tie it to something. He held it up in a ray of light shining into the cave and it seemed to sparkle with a life of it's own. "Where is your half?" He looked at Aragorn, and the man grinned.

He took the shard Legolas had, and with a bright smile, placed it along another one which also had a string around it. They fit together like one. "It was one shard, but I managed to break it in half." He grinned a bit sheepishly and nodded toward several broken shards on the ground at his feet.

Legolas' gaze fell on them and he rolled his eyes. "I see it took a couple of tries." He smiled, taking the shard back from Aragorn and once again admiring it. "It is beautiful, Estel. I believe this treasure is far worth the minor injuries we received getting up here. _Le hannon_." He smiled at the man and gave a squeeze to Aragorn's shoulder with his good hand before he tucked the shard away safely into an inside pocket of his tunic.

Aragorn did the same, and he looked around the small cave. "I think it is time we leave. We got a treasure and new memory to go along with it, and I am content to know that we have discovered the truth behind the rumors of a treasure within this mountain. Let's go to Rivendell now so that my father can see to your arm." He looked at Legolas, and the elf nodded in agreement.

Together, the two friends left the cave, and began their careful descend of the mountain. Though the shards were beautiful, the memories they held of the two adventuring together would forever last in their minds, and they were even more precious than the stones themselves to both man and elf.

Unbeknownst to either elf or ranger, that had they climbed another mile up, they would have come across another cave that would go deep within the mountain itself. And within that cave, held the true treasure, the heart of this mountain; a stone that could rival the Arkenstone itself.

 _ **Fin**_

* * *

A/N: How about that for an ending? ;) I couldn't resist to add that little twist, but hey, our duo was happy enough and have a new bauble and memory to cherish, even if Legolas had to get hurt for it. He's fine. XD Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated and motivating.  
 _Namárië_. Hope to see you in the next chapter!


	2. Fire

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any characters associated with them; They belong to their rightful owner J.R.R. Tolkien. We just borrow them to play. ;)  
My Elvish sucks. Tolkien forgive me. *sobs*

A/N: My favorite element right here. I hope I managed to capture the heat of the moment in this story. ;) But anyway, this was supposed to be the third chapter, but ended up being the second. *headdesk* I keep pushing the actual first chapter back. Oh well! I couldn't wait but post this one next, it's too fantastic a chapter in my opinion. Fire...pretty fire...deadly fire. Ahem, right well please enjoy! :D

 **If my Sindarin is wrong, do not be rude about it. Please either politely correct me, or kindly tell me what does not exist and I will replace it with English/edit the scene. Thanks**

• _Mellon nín:_ "My friend"

• _Goheno nin:_ "Forgive me"

• _Namárië:_ "Farewell" (Quenya)

* * *

 **Fire**

As summer reached it's peak, a Wood-elf and a human ranger were making their way toward Rivendell to spend the remainder weeks of summer amid the elves and the cooling waterfalls around Imladris. And right now that was a pleasant thought to the human and even the elf, whom usually wasn't too bothered by the heat of summer.

So they had been traveling a week to arrive in Imladris, and while Legolas would have preferred to go to his home in Mirkwood for the summer, Aragorn had talked him into going to Rivendell instead; with the promise that they would spend the winter in the Woodland Realm.

Not that Aragorn was eager to visit the elf's home. He had nothing against the forests of Mirkwood, it was the king he was not eager to greet. The ill tempered Elvenking would no doubt have words to say to the human ranger concerning any misadventures that he had led Legolas into. But Aragorn would not go back on his word to his friend.

At least for the time, he could enjoy the remainder of the summer among his own family, and he knew how happy it would make lord Elrond to have all his sons home for even a short time. Though he may think differently after the summer with not only Elladan, Elrohir, and Aragorn home, but a certain prince of the Woodland Realm as well.

The four could certainly get themselves into plenty of trouble in such a short amount of time.

As human ranger and elven prince rode under the trees that would take them to the river which marked the border of Imladris, they let their horses walk at an easy canter. They weren't in a hurry, and with the boughs of the trees shading from overhead, and a soft breeze blowing, it wasn't too hot so they felt the need to rush to Rivendell for the cooling waters that surely awaited them.

When the breeze suddenly shifted, however, Legolas pulled a halt to their progress as he stopped his stallion Elbehad. "Do you smell that?" He asked, frowning when he got a whiff of something foul on the wind. As Aragorn stopped next to him, the elf's keen hearing could pick up the sound of something heartbreaking for the Wood-elf.

It was the sound of trees dying.

Aragorn frowned and sniffed the air, and then his grey eyes widened. "Smoke!" He turned around in his saddle to seek out the source of the smoke so close to Rivendell. In the back of his mind, he prayed that it was not his home where his foster father lived. He knew how much Legolas loved trees, but in his mind he'd rather trees die than people.

Legolas whipped his head around, and just behind them to their left, he looked up only to see the smoke billowing up into the sky. "Estel, the forest is on fire!" He said, his voice cracking at the horrible sounds of the dying trees. He turned Elbehad toward where the smoke was and kicked his heels, the horse galloping directly into the area where the fire had started.

Aragorn cursed and turned his own mount after Legolas, kicking his heels and urging Roheryn into a hard gallop. "Legolas!" He called, swearing again. He knew of Legolas' love of nature and especially trees, and knew that if the blaze could be stopped Legolas would do everything in his power to stop it before too many trees could die.

But he was not willing to die for the sake of a forest, unlike the Wood-elf. He feared with as much smoke that was rising up into the sky, that would be a high possibility. He may have to drag the elf out of the forest by force just to save his life, and deal with the upset elven prince later when they were safe.

No more than he had thought that, was the flames visible just in front of them. And they were spreading quickly, as the fire went from tree to tree, spreading across the foliage on the ground. Flames reached the tops of the trees, engulfing them seconds after touching them.

Legolas pulled on the reins, halting Elbehad just feet from the raging fire and Aragorn stopped next to him, grey eyes wide in disbelief. They sat atop their mounts, all but frozen at the sight before them of the raging fire. The horses began neighing and shifting nervously to try and make their riders do something but sit staring.

"We need to get out of here! We will be surrounded if we stay!" Aragorn said quickly, looking at Legolas. He could see the look of pure horror and sorrow on his friend's face, and he had to reach over, gripping Legolas' shoulder and shaking him to get his attention. "Legolas! I am sorry about the trees, but there is nothing we can do for them now! It is too late! We cannot die here with them! Please, _mellon nín_ , we have to go!"

It seemed Legolas finally managed to try and put out the sorrowful, horrific sounds of the trees dying as he turned his watery gaze onto his friend. But he still could not bring his mount to move. "We have to try and help them, Estel, we have to find a way to slow the fire!"

"We cannot!" Aragorn raised his voice and swept his hand behind them, the urgency in his voice just as apparent on his face. "If we stay we will die!" He gripped Legolas' arm firmly. "We cannot help them, we cannot stop this fire now! It is too out of control for us to slow it!" Aragorn tried to convince the elven prince.

If he had to, he would forcefully drag the elf out of the forest and across the river border into Rivendell. Even if he had to knock the elf out to do it. He would simply accept the elf's anger and upset later, when they were safe and sound.

But he would not have to do that today. Legolas loved the trees dearly, more than most elves, but he was not suicidal. The elven prince looked to Aragorn, tears still fresh in his eyes from both the smoke and the sorrow his heart felt at not being able to save this forest, and he nodded.

Just then, as the boughs above their heads caught fire, a dead branch close to falling already went aflame and came crashing down in front of Legolas' stallion Elbehad. The horse reared up, and the sudden action sent the elf flying back and into the ground with a hard thump. Frightened, Elbehad turned and bolted away from the roaring flames that lay in front of them.

"Legolas!" Aragorn turned his own stallion around and dismounted quickly, grabbing hold of the elf and looking at him with worry and for a brief moment the raging fire was forgotten in the back of his mind as concern for his friend overtook him.

Legolas got to his feet with Aragorn's help and shook his head. "I am fine. We must leave before it is too late. You are right, Estel, we cannot do anything." It truly broke the prince's heart to abandon the trees to a horrible fate, but he could not risk the life of his friend and Aragorn would not leave without him.

Relief flooded Aragorn and he nodded, quickly moving back and climbing back up into Roheryn's saddle. Legolas climbed up behind him and the human ranger turned his horse's head in the only direction the two could possibly escape through now, and with a hard kick of his heels his stallion charged into a hard gallop between the trees.

Thick smoke began filling the area as the flames leapt from tree to tree, and Legolas and Aragorn covered their mouths and noses with their cloaks, doing what they could to stop from coughing on the smoke. The flames had devoured the trees around them, reaching above them into the sky. The heat was more unbearable than the smoke itself, as it licked at their backs and from their sides, making it feel as if their exposed skin would burn off of them.

It was becoming a race against time, between the smoke they were breathing and the flames that had reached ahead of them by jumping trees. Legolas could barely stand the sound of the trees dying, and he silently prayed for their easy passing and forgiveness of not having the ability to stop the fire.

In the distance, he could hear the reply that the trees did not blame him, and it broke his heart all the more at this.

He tightened his grip on Aragorn, to which the ranger was glad for as he feared losing Legolas should the elf reconsider leaving the dying forest behind. He urged Roheryn faster, but the horse was soon overcome by the smoke and to his and Legolas' horror the beast collapsed, throwing both Legolas and Aragorn off.

So much smoke had filled the area, Roheryn had inhaled too much and now lay in a heap of coughing fits. Aragorn had the misfortune of landing face first into the ground, and Legolas atop him. He was silently thankful that the elf did not weigh much, but it still caused a sharp pain to the center of his body and he gasped as precious air left his lungs on impact.

Legolas was up and pulling Aragorn to his feet immediately, obvious concern for his friend. "I am sorry Estel, this is my fault. I should not have turned and led us toward the fire."

Aragorn shook his head quickly and gripped Legolas' shoulder. "We will talk about this when we are safe across the river!" He said, rushing back to Roheryn's aid and trying desperately to get the animal onto his feet. Legolas went and did the same, but the horse would not get back up and the flames that raged around them were eating up the foliage on the ground and greedily devouring the air around them to further swell.

"It is no use Legolas! We have to leave him!" Aragorn turned to leave, but stopped when Legolas took out his bow and notched an arrow, and after asking for forgiveness again he shot the animal in the heart, ending it's suffering instantly. Aragorn winced, but he was glad his elven friend had the sense to put Roheryn out of the misery of a painful death that was quickly approaching them as well if they did not leave.

The two then began to run, quite literally for their very lives.

Legolas, with his keen sense of direction, and his faster legs, was leading the two through the forest as quickly as he could, with Aragorn pulling up his rear close behind. Aragorn may have never run so fast in his young life, but this moment he was keeping up well with the elven prince.

The ranger might have been tempted to comment on that, if his lungs were not filling up with so much smoke while they ran, trying to get ahead of the flames that were quickly approaching from behind them. The smoke was so thick, and Aragorn was thankful that he was following an elf because he would surely have been turned around for his eyes watered with the smoke and he could hardly see ahead of him.

Legolas was struggling despite his sure footed pace, his heightened senses becoming overpowered by the flames and the smoke surrounding them. He glanced overhead just once, and he vowed not to do so again as all he seen was a raging blaze roaring across the treetops.

Branches began falling around them and they did what they could to dodge them, but the flames they were engulfed in were not so easy to evade. The branches seemed to burst into sparks of bright, burning embers and flames each time they fell, and the sparks landed many times on Aragorn and Legolas' exposed skin and sharply burned them.

The flames roaring around them was deafening and the heat the fire was emanating just seemed to spur the elf and ranger on faster. The whole forest seemed to have been engulfed by now, and the two friends were running the only path that was left open to them. And even Legolas was not sure how much farther it was to the safety of Rivendell's borders.

A branch engulfed in the fire fell but the elf could neither hear nor evade the large branch as it came falling atop him, knocking him to the ground and making Aragorn nearly go off balance while he tried stopping. "Legolas!" He yelled, his grey eyes widening in horror at the sight of his friend being under the burning branch.

The elf couldn't contain the cry of pain from the searing heat. The pain from the impact of the heavy branch itself was nothing compared to the heat of the fire that burned him instantly. Aragorn threw caution to the wind and he reached down, quick to pull the burning branch off his friend and burning his hands and arms at the same time.

He threw the branch quickly and knelt next to Legolas, throwing dirt from the ground on his friend to snuff out the fire as quick as he could manage. The elf winced and looked up at Aragorn, seeing the sweaty, sooty face of the human. He coughed several times as Aragorn helped him to his feet, both of them now struggling to breathe.

The healer in Aragorn was suppressed easily enough, he'd simply have to check Legolas' injuries later - if there was a later for them.

He took Legolas' arm and began running, and together they continued their flight for safety of the burning forest. Covering their mouths and noses with their forearms as they ran, neither could see where they were going anymore than putting one foot in front of the other as fast as they could.

And then the two were running out of the forest and into the river, cool water splashing them as they ran across the low stream. The water reached just to their knees and they waded quickly across to the other side, both collapsing as soon as they reached the shore. Aragorn and Legolas both were coughing hard, trying to clear their lungs of the smoke they had inhaled with the fresher air on the other side of the river.

When they finally got ahold of themselves, they looked over to one another, both silently checking the other for any signs of injuries. Aragorn was the first to sit up, still coughing but breathing easier. "I am fine Legolas," He said, knowing what the elf was thinking as he looked up at him. "But what about you? That branch hit you square on the back." He frowned and moved to check the elf.

But Legolas just shook his head and took hold of Aragorn's hand to stop him. "I am fine as well, Estel. It is not as bad as you think." He sat up slowly, and though he was pained from the action, he knew the wounds were not important. Instead he turned his gaze across the river, and his heart sank at the sight before them.

The entire forest was up in flames, the flames so high they seemed to be touching the sky. Dark smoke billowed out over top them, and it was difficult to even continue staring at the sight. For the human, it was the sheer amount of heat that burned his eyes, but for the elf it was because of the sadness he felt at knowing he'd failed to do anything.

"There was nothing you could do." Legolas suddenly looked up at Aragorn, again the man seeming to know what the elven prince was thinking. He stood up and reached his hand down for Legolas to take. "There was nothing you could have done, _mellon nín_. Do not blame yourself for this."

Legolas sighed quietly, coughing slightly as he looked at the hand offered to him. He seen the burns and he looked back up at Aragorn, guilt on his face and in his saddened blue-grey eyes. "You are hurt because of me. Had I not turned around, you would not have been burned. Roheryn would not have died. I may not be responsible for the forest fire, but I am for these things. _Goheno nin_..."

Aragorn grasped Legolas' wrist and pulled the elf up, then squeezed his shoulders while he looked him directly in the eyes. There was no hint of blame or upset in Aragorn's sharp grey eyes. "Legolas, you seen how fast that fire spread. Even if we had not turned around when we did, we may still not have escaped unscathed. These wounds will heal. And you had the mind to put Roheryn out of his misery. For that, I thank you."

The sound of hooves galloping their way made both of them turn their heads after a moment, and they saw the elves of Rivendell riding out toward them. No doubt to use their magic to swell the river and try to ease the flames or even put the fire out as much as they could.

Looking back at Aragorn, Legolas embraced him lightly, surprising the ranger but he soon enough returned the embrace. "I am the one that is thankful, thankful that you are still here with me. I could not have forgiven myself had you died."

Aragorn just smiled and patted Legolas' back. "Just consider us even for all the times you were injured because of some misadventure I got us into." He laughed as Legolas pulled back with a wry smirk on his sooty face. "Although I do hope I am not on the receiving end of any elven wrath you may have for the fact your hair is singed."

Legolas looked down at the strands of hair Aragorn gripped, and seen the singed ends where the flames from the branch that had landed on him burned some of his hair. He put on a mock show of horror and looked at Aragorn. Then he laughed with his best friend. "Just pray my hair has recovered before we return to Mirkwood for winter, because I do not believe there is any place in Middle-earth that could protect you from my father's wrath."

It was supposed to be a joke, but the horror on Aragorn's face was very much real at the images that comment conjured up in his mind. Legolas' musical laughter hardly reached the horrified ranger's ears.

 _ **Fin**_

* * *

A/N: I had to have some kind of light heartedness after that whole fiasco. XD But I hope it was enjoyable nonetheless! And don't forget, reviews are always appreciated and very motivating. :)  
 _Namárië._


	3. Water

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any characters associated with them; They belong to their rightful owner J.R.R. Tolkien. We just borrow them to play. ;)  
My Elvish sucks. Tolkien forgive me. *sobs*

A/N: So to start off, this was the first idea I had for this story, but I ended up switching it to the third chapter instead of the first. I thought it was a good idea to give you guys a false sense of security here. ;) Because who knows what the other elements will hold for our favorite Middle-earth duo. Hee! Anyway, next element is water! Have a happy time for them. :)

 **If my Sindarin is wrong, do not be rude about it. Please either politely correct me, or kindly tell me what does not exist and I will replace it with English/edit the scene. Thanks**

• _Mellon nín:_ "My friend"

• _Baw:_ "No"

• _Iesten:_ "Please"

• _Namárië:_ "Farewell" (Quenya)

* * *

 **Water**

Mid summer had arrived in Middle-earth, and the heat that came with it seemed almost unnatural. Especially for two riders that had no form of protection against the blazing sun overhead. Not a cloud in the sky, no breeze to speak of, not even a village to stop in, and not a tree in sight, they rode slowly across the flat fields that provided nothing but endless heat waves in front of them.

Elves were almost never effected by weather. Their bodies just naturally stayed an even temperature at all times, in both the cold and the heat. They simply did not become effected while those around them would be freezing or burning up. However, for the elf that rode alongside the human ranger, he could argue otherwise.

While Aragorn felt as though he was going to melt atop his mount Roheryn's back, his clothes long been soaked with sweat, his hair clinging annoyingly to his face and neck, Legolas was feeling the effects of the heat as well. To someone like Aragorn, the Wood-elf looked fine enough, as if it was a fine spring afternoon.

To Legolas however, he thought for sure he could quite possibly smell 'cooked elf' and said elf was himself. Sweat beaded on his forehead and rolled down slowly, and his tunic's back was starting to show a line of sweat that had been rolling down for the past hour. This was unacceptable for the elven prince. "It is hot, Estel." He said, an utmost distaste in his dry mouth at the words.

"No, really? I thought it was a beautiful day." Aragorn shot back dryly, rolling his eyes and turning to look at his elven companion. He was soaked to the bone in his own sweat, yet Legolas -aside from the sheen of sweat on his brow- looked perfectly fine. On days like today, he truly wish he had been born an elf. Even a half-elf like his foster father, lord Elrond.

Anything was better than his cursed human body right now.

Legolas snorted quietly and looked at Aragorn, sharp blue-grey eyes narrowed just a bit. "We need to find some shelter and cool down. If not for our own sakes -which I am concerned with- but for the sakes of our horses." He turned his gaze down at his stallion Elbehad he was riding and patted his lathered neck, whispering words of encouragement to keep him moving.

Despite walking at a slow canter, the horses were lathered as if they'd ran a whole day. If they pushed them anymore, the animals would surely collapse of heat exhaustion, and then both ranger and elf would be in even more trouble then they already were. Being on foot in this heat with no shelter and limited water was just as dangerous as being surrounded by a hundred orcs.

At this moment, both ranger and elf would have preferred the orcs over the heat of this summer's day.

Sighing wearily, Aragorn swiped away sweat that was threatening to drip into his eyes once more. The salt of his sweat in his eyes was not something he enjoyed feeling. "You are right, _mellon nín_ , as per usual. Can your elf eyes see any form of shelter around us?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at the light haired elven prince.

Unlike Aragorn, Legolas could see much farther. So while he could not see anything around them at all but waves of heat, perhaps Legolas could spot something somewhere.

Legolas narrowed his eyes in concentration, looking around where they were walking. He knew nothing was behind them for too many miles, so he looked to their left and right and ahead. He pulled Elbehad to a stop and looked to their right, obviously straining his eyes to see as clear as he could.

"Do you see something?" Aragorn questioned, stopping next to Legolas on his left side. He strained his own vision, but he saw only heat waves on the horizon which was sadly all but flat lands.

After several moments under the hot sun and not even being able to feel the slight movement of air that came with moving, Legolas finally turned to look at Aragorn. "I am not sure. There is a shadow over the horizon to our right, but with the waves of heat I cannot discern what exactly it is. It does, however, spread far."

Aragorn once again looked to where Legolas had been looking. Of course he couldn't see a line of shadow like Legolas could, but he still tried to imagine what it could be. "It could be a forest, or a village. Whatever it is, I say we go that way, since there is nothing ahead of us."

Nodding in agreement, Legolas turned his stallion's head to their right, as did Aragorn, and the two began walking the animals in the new direction. As they walked, Legolas continued to try and figure out exactly what it was he saw, and after twenty some minutes of walking the horses, he finally smiled. "It is a forest, Estel."

Though neither of them said it, they had both feared that it was neither a forest nor a village that they were heading toward, but something worse. A pack of orcs came to mind, and having to both fight the heat and the orcs at the same time would not have ended well for the two friends.

They urged their horses on a little bit faster, though they didn't push them too much harder. They both silently hoped that where there was a forest, there would also be some form of water that both they and their mounts could use to help cool off all the more. An hour later, they were riding into the edge of the forest.

Legolas almost immediately looked even better than he had been in the last several hours, his natural connection with the trees helping to heal him, body and mind. He took in a breath of the forest air, clean as it was, and climbed down from his horse's back. "Do you smell that, Estel?" He questioned, looking over at Aragorn as the man also dismounted.

Aragorn landed on the ground of the forest floor and looked over at his elven friend. "Smell what? Trees? I am sorry to say I do not love their smell as much as an elf, _mellon nín_." He teased, grinning at the archer.

Legolas rolled his eyes. Aragorn was always teasing him about his closeness with nature, trees especially, though he knew it was all in jest and not meant to be taken seriously. " _Baw_ , that is not what I meant. I smell water nearby." He said, turning his head to try and see if he couldn't hear any running water.

The ranger's eyebrows rose at the prospect of getting water after all. "Water? Which way?" He asked, sniffing the air. Though a ranger was trained to smell nearby water, he didn't smell a thing but his own perspiration and that of two very hot horses.

"This way." Legolas announced, following the scent of fresh water. Not five minutes later, Aragorn too smelt the fresh water. And the beautiful sight of sparkling, clear water lay just ahead. Neither ranger nor elf had thought they'd ever see a more beautiful sight than that of this fresh spring water.

"That is quite the beautiful sight to behold." Aragorn stated, smiling while he stopped his horse at the water's edge. He immediately knelt and took a handful of water, rubbing it over his face. "Let's get the horses unsaddled so they can get cool in the water and rest." He stood back up and Legolas nodded in agreement.

The two began the grueling task of unsaddling their mounts. As hot as they were and in need of water, they needed to tend to their horses first. Roheryn and Elbehad deserved a rest in the water more than either man or elf that had been riding them. It was obvious the horses were eager to enter the water, because they knew what would come while they drank.

As soon as they were done, the two friends spoke gentle words to the horses, leading them into a shallow portion of the water after removing their boots. They then began washing the horses off in the cool water, soaking their lathered coats until they were cooled down. All the while the horses were drinking in the fresh water.

When both were satisfied that their horses were cooled, they let them wander and enjoy the cooling water and shade of the trees to rest, with orders to stay within earshot. And then both ranger and elf began to strip down to just their breeches. Though they'd been cooling down in ankle deep water, they still wanted to take a swim.

Before they did that, they both washed their clothes and laid them out to dry. Having fresh clean clothes was rare enough on their adventures, so they took the opportunity each time it was given to them to wash their clothes. Then without anymore delay, both entered the water with intentions of fully cooling down in the quickest manner.

It had been a long time since the duo could just relax and swim like this in leisure, and it was more enjoyable than either could express in mere words. They swam for half an hour before Legolas went to the water's edge and climbed out, fully regenerated from the swim. Aragorn was a little less anxious to get out of the water, but Legolas had a plan.

He searched the forest floor until he found what he'd been seeking, and took two good branches that had been broken off the trees. He sat down on a log at the water's edge, took his dagger and began cleaning the branches of twigs until both were suitable poles. Grabbing some string he'd taken from his saddle bag, he cut and tied a couple long strands at the ends of the poles.

When he was done with that, he secured the poles between some rocks and in the ground, then stood and once again began searching the forest floor. It took a few minutes but he eventually found the things he sought after, and picked the earth worms up. When he returned to where the poles were at, he put them on two hooks he'd grabbed when he got the string and his dagger.

Both elf and ranger always carried one or two fish hooks so they could fish when given the chance. After he fastened the hooks to the strings, he dropped both of the hooks with worms on them into the water, and sat down to man them both while Aragorn continued to swim.

"What do you think you will catch in this body of water?" Aragorn called, having seen what Legolas was up to.

"Dinner, of course." Legolas replied with a knowing smile.

Aragorn just rolled his eyes. "Fine, do not tell me what type of fish you believe is in here." He said, turning around and swimming to the opposite side of the water.

But it became apparent that Aragorn's constant swimming would hinder the Wood-elf's attempts at catching anything, much less a fish worth eating. "Estel, you are scaring off the fish. _Iesten,_ come ashore with me so that we can catch something to eat." He said, watching Aragorn floating along his back.

"I am telling you, there are no fish to be caught." Aragorn turned to look at Legolas with a smirk. "Besides, even if there were, can you not simply talk to them and ask them to hook themselves?" He teased, grinning as he swam closer to where Legolas sat.

It took a great deal of willpower to stop himself from rolling his eyes at Aragorn, but Legolas managed -though only barely. "That is not how fishing works, not even for an elf. Estel, I believe that awful pipeweed you continue to smoke is muddling your mind." He scrunched his nose at the very thought of the stuff.

Laughing, Aragorn shook his head ruefully. He looked down at his hands, and noticed how his fingers were beginning to shrivel as he stayed in the water. "Alright, alright. I suppose it is time I climb out." He agreed, climbing out after swimming to the edge where Legolas was. He walked out, sitting on the log next to the elf.

As much as he had been enjoying his swim, he didn't wish to shrivel up into an old man far beyond his time. And he had no illusions that as a Dúnadan he would forever be young like the immortal elves.

Shaking the thought from his mind, Aragorn took out his pipe and much to Legolas' chagrin started to smoke the very pipeweed he had mentioned. The elf silently thought perhaps the mention earlier had made him bring it out now, just to torment the elven prince with the smell. He turned his sharp gaze on Aragorn, but the ranger just smiled as innocently as he could possibly manage.

For a ranger, that wasn't very innocent. Especially since Legolas knew him better than most.

After a few moments, both lines were jerked and Aragorn and Legolas both pulled up a decent sized fish on each side. "Looks like we will be eating well after all." Aragorn grinned over at Legolas whom nodded in agreement. "Thanks for thinking of this, _mellon nín_." He got up and took both fish. "Since you did the fishing, I will do the cleaning and cooking."

"I will start a fire, then." The elf stood and began to gather wood for the fire. As Aragorn cleaned both fish, Legolas started the fire, and soon both fish were being cooked. Aragorn watched them while the Wood-elf checked their drying clothing, which were almost fully dry after being laid out amid the sun's hot rays. "I believe we can dress, our clothes are dry enough." He said over his shoulder, getting himself dressed.

"That sounds like a good plan. Watch the fish while I dress." Aragorn said, standing up when he seen Legolas coming his way, fully dressed aside from his cloak which he was carrying. He sat both his and Aragorn's cloaks down and took the ranger's spot, watching as the fish cooked.

When Aragorn finished dressing, the fish was done, and the two began to eat. The sun had begun to dip toward the horizon as dusk settled, and Aragorn looked up to the sky. "We will rest for a few hours, then get up in the middle of the night and continue our journey. In this heat and knowing there may not be anymore shelter for a while, it will be best if we start traveling by night."

"For once Estel, I believe you have a very good idea." Legolas commented, sitting his leftovers aside to get ready to lay down and get some much needed sleep. The horses were near by and he knew that the trees would alert them should anything approach, so the elf could rest easy for the time.

"Only once?" Aragorn raised a brow at his elven friend, and Legolas laughed quietly at his response, but did not comment further. Huffing, the man laid down after putting the fire out, shaking his head at Legolas with a smile growing on his face.

Legolas lay on the even ground, staring up at the sky. The stars had yet to appear, but he would get the great pleasure of riding under them after they woke up. By the following day he would be better than he had in weeks, and the sun would simply have to work extra hard to get him to feel as he had earlier in the day.

Aragorn laid back with a contented sigh, glancing over at his friend with a slight smile. He knew what the elf was thinking, and was glad that Legolas would be so ready for their journey to continue. He himself wouldn't be regenerated by stars alone, but the night air would certainly do the ranger well enough, and that was good enough for him.

The two friends found sleep easy, laying under the trees protection and the shimmering water that had all surely saved them and their mounts during this hot summer's day.

 _ **Fin**_

* * *

A/N: This actually ended up being a tiny bit longer than I had expected, but I figure no one will mind. :) I hope it was enjoyable! Thanks for reading, I know it was slow, but trust me, the next chapter should make up for it. 'Tis a surprise. ;) Reviews are of course always appreciated and motivating.  
 _Namárië._


	4. Ice

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, or any characters associated with them; They belong to their rightful owner J.R.R. Tolkien. We just borrow them to play. ;)  
My Elvish sucks. Tolkien forgive me. *sobs*

A/N: Ha! I bet you were all expecting air to be the next element! Nope! XD I never said I'd stick solely with the four basic elements, now did I? *grin* So, this next chapter is using the element ice. Let's see how that goes for our favorite ranger and elf! And a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! See you all next year! *waves*

 **If my Sindarin is wrong, do not be rude about it. Please either politely correct me, or kindly tell me what does not exist and I will replace it with English/edit the scene. Thanks**

• _Mellon nín:_ "My friend"

• _Tolo:_ "Come"

• _Ada:_ "Dad/Daddy"

• _Le hannon_ : "Thank you"

• _Namárië:_ "Farewell" (Quenya)

* * *

 **Ice**

To say it was a cold day in winter was a great understatement for the human ranger trudging through thick layers of snow. The warm sun usually brought some solace to the man, but of course it was hidden away behind ugly gray clouds and thus, no warmth was provided by the blazing orb that was high in the sky this day.

Aragorn often wondered about his choice to become a ranger when facing elements as harsh as winter snows like today's. On days like today, he thought blissfully of having just stayed a healer. But, deep down he knew he could not stay just a healer. A ranger's life called to him, and had he not become one, he may not have met his best friend.

Even if said best friend was currently making him glare daggers at his back as the light footed elf easily walked atop the snow and seemed perfectly content in the winter's cold breeze.

All elves were naturally light weighted, Aragorn knew this, but it was the fact they could literally walk atop snow, no matter it's thickness or how deep it was, that made him get so flustered with his friend. That, and Legolas always seemed to be smiling when he would look at the struggling human yet he himself couldn't have it easier.

Stopping again, Legolas turned back to make sure his human friend was indeed following him still and had not collapsed somewhere or became lost. Though the elf's keen hearing couldn't possibly miss the crunching of the man's feet as they sank into the snow with each step, and he simply smiled at his friend trudging behind him.

"Stop smiling, you elf!" Aragorn cursed none too kindly after that in Sindarin. He may not be able to see it, but he just _knew_ that the elven prince was smiling back at him. He could practically hear the smirk on his face, and the musical laughter Legolas didn't even try to stop only confirmed he could hear it.

" _Mellon nín_ , are you not the one that wished to come out here this time of year, simply to show me something?" He questioned, and the mocking tone in his voice was oh so thick.

Aragorn's scathing glare could have very well melted ice if he had any heat left within his body to do so. "Do not remind me." He grumbled and griped while trudging forward after the elf.

But it was indeed true, _Aragorn_ , not Legolas, had insisted on coming to this patch of land during this time of year with the elf. The only reason Legolas had even been unsure about the idea of coming here was because he knew Aragorn would not be happy having to travel through snow to get there, and thus he would curse and gripe the whole way there.

However the elf's curiosity as to why the human ranger wanted to bring Legolas out here had of course gotten the better of him. And the man had been adamant about not even telling him why, so now he had to listen to unpleasant words escaping his friend's mouth. If lord Elrond or even his own father heard the words, they would not be happy with the human.

"But I must remind you, Estel!" Legolas chided with a smirk. "Or else you would be blaming me for everything. You cannot put blame on me for this weather or us being out in it." He smiled though. Something was apparently worth all this to the ranger, so he would oblige him and continue on. He would simply have to try harder to ignore the insults and cursing from the human ranger.

Shivering hard under his winter garb and tightly wrapped cloak, Aragorn looked hard ahead of himself to try and ignore Legolas' words - even if he was right. "Do your elf eyes see a hill ahead yet? It would have two large oaks on either side as it rises up." He said, working hard to keep his teeth from chattering.

Legolas turned his sharp gaze toward the east, in the direction they'd been traveling, and nodded his head. "It is right in front of us." He looked back to Aragorn, and was surprised to see the man running -or attempting to run- in his direction. Or more accurately, east, the direction they'd been heading.

Aragorn was working his hardest to plough through the snow to get to his destination, and though he could be running right now, it was more like a quick walk through the thick snow that reached up almost to his knees. Finally, after ten minutes of struggling, he stood atop the hill overlooking a frozen lake, with Legolas beside him.

The sight was unremarkable, to say the least. Aside from the frozen lake and a small island at it's center, there was nothing special to see. Which made Legolas all the more curious, because Aragorn's spirits had been lifted so much to know the hill was right here.

Looking at his friend with his head tilted just a tad to the side, Legolas asked, "Is this where you wanted to take me?" Of course, confusion was very prominent on his fair face.

To his even greater surprise, the man turned to him with the biggest grin he'd seen since before winter started. "Yes and no. I will explain tomorrow." He tilted his head up, seeing as the sun was dipping dangerously to the west and was about to disappear over the horizon in less than an hour now. "We will camp over here. There is a hole in the ground that we can use to get shelter from the cold."

Aragorn then turned and began his march through the snow toward said hole in the ground, with a dubious elf following behind. Legolas wasn't liking how this was turning out. A hole in the ground is the last place he wanted to sleep. "Estel, I do not think I like the idea of sleeping in a hole. Is there no where else?"

"Not this time, _mellon nín_. I know you do not like enclosed spaces, but try and trust me." He turned to look at Legolas, and this time it was him smiling back at a frowning elf.

The two walked down the little hill and around the left oak, where Aragorn began kicking up snow until his frozen, booted foot hit home. A large log, covered in snow, sat unmoving and sent a jolt up his leg, but he gritted his teeth and knelt down to begin clearing the snow. Legolas stood back and just watched the human ranger, perplexed on the whole scene.

Soon enough, though, he realized that Aragorn was trying to uncover said log, so he began helping him and after a few moments, the log was cleared of snow. It was once a great oak tree like the other two, but had somehow ended up dead. Legolas did not try to think of how that could have happened.

"Help me push the log over." Aragorn said, bringing Legolas out of his thoughts concerning said log. He blinked at the man, whom grinned and just pointed to the other end of it. "Just trust me."

Nodding, Legolas stood on the other end of the log, and together they pushed until it had rolled back a good four feet. And that's when the Wood-elf seen the hole his friend had mentioned earlier. "Ah." The grin he received from Aragorn was rather smug, but the man just crawled into the space head first.

Legolas was not about to just crawl in there and instead stared at the dark hole his friend had just crawled into. "Are you going to stand out there all night and freeze to death, or would you like to join me?" Came the ranger's voice from within. Letting out a sigh, the elf pushed away his discomfort and began crawling into the space.

He was once again surprised when the hole was rather spacious, in fact Aragorn sat upright with his back to the far wall. Legolas was soon sitting upright as well, his twin knives and longbow along with his quiver sitting to the side with Aragorn's sword and their packs. He turned a questioning gaze at his friend.

"It is a place only rangers know about. It was a lot smaller, but they have dug it out to give it some nice space. It is just used to give shelter." He shrugged, like that was common knowledge.

Legolas just shook his head at his friend with a smile on his face.

The two ate a quick, cold dinner, and then curled up with their cloaks wrapped around them to get some sleep. Without any wind or even a breeze and no snow, the little burrow provided great protection against the cold weather outside, so even without a fire, their clothing soon did the job of keeping them comfortable enough to find sleep.

The following dawn, Aragorn was up before the sun had even broke out in the east. He had crawled out to make sure of the time, and then he returned to wake Legolas whom was awake and alert with a gentle shake of his shoulder. " _Tolo, mellon nín_ , we do not want to miss the reason I brought you out here."

"Miss it?" Though he was as alert as ever, Legolas was sure he had somehow misunderstood his friend. But the man nodded in answer and took up his sword and pack, then crawled out of the hole. Legolas was right behind him, still confused.

When they were out of the hole, they replaced the log where it had been to cover it up and prevent snow from getting in, then Aragorn led them up to the hill, where he sat with his back against one of the large oaks. He motioned for Legolas to do the same, so he did, and they ate breakfast before the sun had even come up.

"Estel, I do not think I understand what I am supposed to see here, or why we are even awake at this hour." He finally could take it no longer, but Aragorn just smiled and wrapped his cloak tighter around himself. Taking that as a sign to just be patient -which an elf could very well be- he sat back and waited for whatever the ranger wanted to show him.

Finally, Aragorn moved and Legolas looked to them as he stood, doing the same himself. They stood side by side on the hill, and Aragorn pointed down to the frozen lake just as the first rays of dawn broke out over the horizon. Legolas looked, and he stared in awe as the rays hit the frozen lake.

The entire lake was shimmering, ice crystals sparkling and their colors shifting with the morning light. He had not seen such a beautiful sight the evening before, but the sun had been setting then. He watched as the sparkles shifted and intensified the higher the sun rose, until the lake looked as if it was made of the finest of diamonds. "It is beautiful." The elf said breathlessly.

Something drew his gaze away from the dazzling sight up to the top of hill in the middle of the small island, and even his keen elven eyesight could not detect what lay beyond the strongest of sparkling light. "What is that?"

"That, _mellon nín_ , is why we are here. Come, before the ice on the lake can get too warm to walk across." Aragorn said, then began making his way down to the lake. Legolas followed without question.

When they were even with the lake's water, Aragorn tested the footing first, knowing if anyone would break the ice it would be him. As it stood, the frozen lake held his weight, and the two friends carefully picked their way across to the little island in the center. From this point of view, the lake looked like any other frozen over lake, so it had to have been where they were standing and how the rays of the morning light hit it to make it sparkle the way it had.

That's what Legolas was thinking when they walked onto the small island. Aragorn began climbing, so the elf followed suit and climbed up beside him. It was a rock that rose up in the middle of this little island, as the elf soon found from the hand and foot holds he grasped under the snow. As Legolas was about to pull himself up further, his eyes were greeted with a sight that took his breath away.

On a small ledge just in front of his face, was a patch of flowers unlike any he had ever seen before -and for a Wood-elf, that was saying a lot.

The flowers seemed to sparkle with pinks and blues and their sparkling petals shimmered with the shifting light of the morning's sun. Legolas stared at the beautiful flowers, so very tempted to reach out and touch one of the petals to see if they were made of crystal, yet too afraid they would break at his very touch as they looked so frail and delicate. "Estel..."

"This is why we are way out here this time of year. I found this by accident last year when I was traveling through here. I had just reached the hill up there when dawn broke, and seen the sight you saw, along with the sparkling light these flowers were giving. So I climbed up here and seen them. When I returned to Rivendell, I asked _Ada_ if he knew of them, and he said they are very rare, and only ever bloom during the winter. In all his years, he said he had only ever seen one."

Smiling fondly at the expression Legolas had on his face, Aragorn nodded to him. "I knew at once I wanted to bring you here to see them. I wish _Ada_ had come, but he said he would come another time perhaps. Elladan and Elrohir could not make it, either." Which meant the man would have to return again to show his foster father and brothers this, but that was okay with him.

The look Legolas had was well worth it, and he knew it would be worth it again. And Legolas would no doubt join them, so he could see them again in his life.

" _Le hannon_ , Estel, for sharing these beautiful flowers with me." Legolas said, finally turning his gaze away from the flowers to look at Aragorn, a deep appreciation in his blue-grey eyes. The look itself was enough for Aragorn and he just smiled at his friend and looked back to the flowers as the sun continued to rise and the sparkles shifted and shimmered in it's light.

They stayed like that for several minutes, just admiring the flowers in all their glory, until Aragorn's hands began cramping from his handholds. "We should go before the ice on the lake begins to get too thin to cross. I do not want to be stuck out here all day and night or risk freezing to death in the swim back to shore." He shivered more from the thought than the actual cold.

Nodding in agreement, Legolas took in one more gaze of the flowers his friend had shared with him as Aragorn began his descend. As soon as Aragorn was on the ground, Legolas was beside him, the elf's nimble movements allowing him to climb down quicker than Aragorn cared to think about.

The two began walking across the frozen lake, when elf and ranger froze where they stood, between the island and the shore. The sound of ice cracking resonated in their ears. Neither took a breath, not even the light Wood-elf, because either could cause the crack to further. It was under Aragorn's left foot.

Legolas carefully picked his way a couple of steps ahead to test the ice, and when no further cracks ensued, he looked at Aragorn. "Estel, can you move?"

Aragorn slowly and carefully slid his foot away from the crack. "I think so." He breathed, realizing he had been holding his breath. He took another step, away from the crack in the ice, when it spread rapidly under his feet, cracks spreading like lines of angry infection on flesh. Aragorn knew the ice was about to break, and if it did, not only he would go in but so would Legolas.

"We run on three." The man said, turning his hard grey eyes on his best friend.

The elf nodded. His muscles ready for the sprint. He knew he would make it, but it was Aragorn he placed his fears for. "On three."

They counted together. "One. Two. Three!"

On three, Legolas' hand shot out and he grasped ahold of Aragorn's wrist, and then the two sprinted off toward the shore. The ice broke apart almost instantly at Aragorn's movements and his feet were soaked through the boots as he began sinking, the ice crumbling right out from under him. Legolas was just a step or two ahead of him, pulling Aragorn while sprinted across the ice.

The cracks were trying to reach the elf's feet but he was too light and quick and stayed ahead of them easily. But he felt Aragorn slowing as the ice under him was sinking into the freezing cold water. Then Legolas suddenly felt the jerking of Aragorn dropping down, and his heart sank as he turned his head to see his friend sinking into the water's depths.

He never let go of his friend's wrist, and thus was dragged down to lay flat across his stomach, his hand plunged into the icy cold water when Aragorn went under completely. "Aragorn!" He yelled, pulling with all his strength. Though elves could handle extreme temperatures better than humans, his hand was going numb from the freezing cold water.

The water soaked Aragorn's clothing and pack, thus making him twice as heavy and making him sink while Legolas struggled to pull him up. He pulled with all of his elven strength, gritting his teeth as the ice began cracking under him as well.

Under the water, Aragorn was struggling. He only had one hand available as Legolas' iron grip was around his other wrist, keeping him from sinking down the lake's bottom. His entire body was going numb almost instantly. He grabbed for his cloak and released it to try and free some of the weight holding him under the water.

Legolas felt the release of weight and he shoved his other hand into the water, grasping ahold of Aragorn's wrist and pulling him up now with both hands until the man's head was above water. The ranger gasped for air as he reached out with his other hand, trying to pull him up out of the freezing water.

However his body was so numb his strength was quickly leaving him, and he was still too heavy for even the elf to pull up as soaked as he was in water. The Wood-elf did the only thing he could think of and he reached behind him with one hand while keeping his other tightly grasping Aragorn still, and he grabbed ahold of one of his twin knives.

With quick and deft movements, he cut the ranger's pack off and it sunk down behind him into the water's freezing depths. The immediate release of so much weight was enough for Aragorn to pull himself up to his waist, and with Legolas' help he was pulled out of the water completely.

The elf dragged Aragorn across the top of the cracked ice which began to break apart with Aragorn's weight, but it stayed strong until they were safe on solid ground. For Aragorn, the sweet lull of oblivion was too irresistible for his freezing body. Even the violent shaking his own body was having didn't seem to keep his mind sharp and awake long enough to realize or even register that Legolas was frantically trying to get his attention.

A cold darkness swallowed the human ranger.

The next thing Aragorn knew, he was shivering, but it wasn't as bad as he had remembered in terms of how cold it was. His teeth weren't even chattering. He blinked open his eyes, which he had to reach up and wipe away the annoying morning crust out of the corners of them. His bleary vision cleared enough for him to see dirt in front of his face.

Shifting his body, he realized there was a weight pressing in on his back and across his shoulders, pinning him where he was. Mildly panicked at not knowing what was holding him, he jerked himself to try and pull away, but the hold on him was an iron one. "Estel, it is me."

He paused, looking down at the offending object holding his shoulder down to see an arm draped over him. He then looked behind himself, and staring back at him was a pair of blue-grey eyes. "Legolas..." He breathed, relaxing his entire body until it slumped against the elf. "What happened?"

"You passed out after I pulled you from the water." The elf shifted his weight, then was sitting beside Aragorn and looking at him. "I got you here and took off your wet clothing to help you dry and try to get warm." He jabbed his chin in the direction of where the man's clothing lay, still damp but not soaked. "Then I wrapped you in my cloak and have done what I could to keep you warm."

"That is why you were holding me down." Aragorn observed, sitting up now that he was free. Though elves did not give off much natural heat, by the elf holding him it would help trap Aragorn's own natural body heat against him. He smiled appreciatively at the Wood-elf but Legolas just shook his head.

Both knew they would do whatever it took to keep the other from harm in any way they could.

"How do you fare, Estel?" The elven prince asked, scooting over to check the man over. He'd gotten concerned when Aragorn had passed out, and then would not wake no matter his efforts to rouse him.

But Aragorn just smiled and shook his head, ignoring the trembles that continued to shake him now and then from the cold. "I am fine, _mellon nín_ , thanks to you. I will be better when we are in a warm home with a working hearth keeping me warm. And warm clothes on. Although depending on the company I may not need them." He laughed and grinned ruefully at the elf.

"I do not think lord Elrond would find that so amusing." Legolas said, glancing at his friend with a look.

Aragorn's horrified expression was priceless for the woodland prince. He bristled and brought the cloak closer around his shoulders with a huff. "Way to ruin a man's warming thoughts." He muttered, eliciting a lovely, musical laugh from his elven friend.

"I am sorry, _mellon nín_. You are cold because of me, and this time the blame can be placed on me. We would not have been out here if not for those flowers you wished to share with me." He looked at the man, an apologetic look coming over his expression.

The human ranger shook his head at Legolas though and reached out, gripping the elf's shoulder. "No, I do not blame you for what happened. It was worth the risk, being able to share those flowers with you. I knew you would love them and that is enough for me to risk being cold for a time longer." He smiled at his friend and gave a squeeze to his shoulder before pulling his hand back under the warmth of the cloak.

Nodding, the elf returned the man's smile. "They were most beautiful. I will cherish their beauty forever. Thank you for sharing them with me."

"Anytime, _mellon nín_." Aragorn replied, grinning as he leaned back against the dirt wall. If it brought joy to the Wood-elf, he knew he'd do it all over again, even risk freezing to death again for his friend and companion.

After Aragorn had recovered well enough and his clothes dried, the two companions left the burrow behind and began traveling back the way they had come. Legolas, as fine as ever in the winter chill, gave Aragorn his cloak until they would reach a place where he could get another one. Usually Aragorn argued about something like that, but he was decidedly too cold to argue with the stubborn elf today.

 _ **Fin**_

* * *

A/N: Well this isn't a short drabble. *facepalm* Ended up way longer than expected, but I didn't have the heart to cut out any scenes, so you'll just have to enjoy the longer chapter. Thanks for reading and don't forget to drop me a review! They are so motivating and I love knowing my readers thoughts on stuff. :)  
 _Namárië._


End file.
